Refrigerator with interactive display and control method thereof

ABSTRACT

A refrigerator includes a main body defining a storage compartment that is divided into a plurality of storage sections, and a door coupled to the main body to selectively open or close the storage compartment. The door includes a door glass having at least one transparent display area, and a door frame surrounding one or more edges of the door glass and configured to protect the door glass. The transparent display area is configured to display, based on being touched by a user, information on food stored in one or more of the plurality of storage sections that corresponds to the touched transparent display area.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.14/618,440 filed on Feb. 10, 2015, which claims the benefits of priorityto Korean Patent Applications No. 10-2014-0016090 filed on Feb. 12,2014, and 10-2014-0016091 filed on Feb. 12, 2014, which are hereinincorporated by reference in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator and a method forcontrolling the same.

BACKGROUND

When a door of a refrigerator is opaque, the door should be opened tocheck food stored in the refrigerator. However, whenever the door isopened, cold air in the refrigerator leaks to the outside and warm airis introduced into the refrigerator, causing an increase in powerconsumption of the refrigerator.

SUMMARY

Implementations of this disclosure provide a refrigerator for allowing auser to check a location of a food without opening a refrigerator doorand check information on the food by touching a front surface part ofthe door while viewing the food, and a method for controlling the same.

Implementations of this disclosure also provide a refrigerator forallowing a user to select a recipe through a door glass, immediatelycheck food materials that are currently retained among food materialsrequired for the selected recipe, and purchase insufficient foodmaterials through online shopping, and a method for controlling thesame.

According to one aspect, a refrigerator includes a main body defining astorage compartment that is divided into a plurality of storagesections, and a door coupled to the main body to selectively open orclose the storage compartment. The door includes a door glass having atleast one transparent display area, and a door frame surrounding one ormore edges of the door glass and configured to protect the door glass.The transparent display area is configured to display, based on beingtouched by a user, information on food stored in one or more of theplurality of storage sections that corresponds to the touchedtransparent display area.

Implementations according to this aspect may include one or more of thefollowing features. For example, the door glass may be configured to beswitchable between a transparent state and an opaque state. Thetransparent display area may be divided into a plurality of transparentdisplay areas on the door glass, and the plurality of transparentdisplay areas may be arranged on locations on the door glass thatcorrespond to the plurality of storage sections. Each of the pluralityof transparent display areas may be associated with correspondingcoordinates on the door glass, and the plurality of transparent displayareas may be configured to display a touch point of the user along witha corresponding food information image. The information on the storedfood may include at least one of a name, an expiration date, an amount,or a price of the stored food. The plurality of transparent displayareas may be configured to display an input screen for inputting foodinformation corresponding to the storage section in which the food isstored.

According to another aspect, method for controlling a refrigeratorhaving a door glass provided with at least one transparent display and astorage compartment divided into a plurality of storage sections forstoring food includes detecting a touch on a front surface of the doorglass and determining, based on the detected touch, a corresponding oneof the plurality of storage sections in which a food of interest isstored. The method further includes displaying on the transparentdisplay, based on the detected touch, one or more food informationimages along with a point of the touch or a food information inputscreen. In the refrigerator controlled according to this method, thedoor glass is configured to selectively open or close the storagecompartment, and the door glass allows the food stored in the storagecompartment to be visually checked based on the door glass being in theclosed position.

Implementations according to this aspect may include one or more of thefollowing features. For example, displaying on the transparent displaymay include displaying on the transparent display that is divided into aplurality of transparent display areas on the door glass, the pluralityof transparent display areas being arranged on locations on the doorglass that correspond to the plurality of storage sections, theplurality of transparent display areas being configured to beindividually operated. The method may further include associating eachof the plurality of transparent display areas and the touched point withcorresponding coordinates on the door glass, wherein the foodinformation image or the food information input screen is displayed onthe transparent display area that corresponds to the coordinates of thetouched point. The method may further include, based on a point withinthe transparent display being touched again or a set time being lapsedwhile the food information image is displayed on the transparentdisplay, removing the food information image from the transparentdisplay, and based on user input of the food information beingcompleted, removing the food information input screen from thetransparent display. The method may further include switching the doorglass between a transparent state and an opaque state. The door glassmay be switched into the opaque state based on the food informationimage or the food information input screen being removed from thetransparent display or based on the set time having lapsed. The methodmay further include maintaining the door glass in the opaque state basedon the door glass not being touched, and based on a touch on the doorglass being recognized by a control unit or based on detection of aclosing of the door following an opening of the door, switching the doorglass into the transparent state. The method may further include, basedon detection of the closing of the door following the opening of thedoor, switching the entirety of the door glass into the transparentstate. The method may further include, based on the door glass beingtouched, switching only a specific display area that includes thetouched point into the transparent state, or switching the entirety ofthe door glass into the transparent state. The method may furtherinclude setting a touch scheme for switching only the specific displayarea into the transparent state to be different from a touch scheme forswitching the entirety of the door glass into the transparent state. Themethod may further include, based on the specific display area beingtouched again while the specific display area or the entirety of thedoor glass is in the transparent state, allowing a food informationcheck or food information input. The method may further include settinga touch scheme for the food information check to be different from atouch scheme for the food information input. Displaying, on thetransparent display, the one or more food information images may includedisplaying at least one of a name, an expiration date, an amount, or aprice of a stored food. Displaying, on the transparent display, the foodinformation input screen may include displaying an input window forinputting at least one of a name, a storage time, an expiration date, anamount, or a price of a stored food, displaying an input completionbutton for inputting an input completion instruction, and displaying akeyboard window for inputting a character.

According to yet another aspect, a refrigerator includes a main bodydefining a storage compartment, the storage compartment being dividedinto a plurality of storage sections, and a door coupled to the mainbody to selectively open or close the storage compartment. The doorincludes a door glass having at least one transparent display area, anda door frame surrounding one or more edges of the door glass andconfigured to protect the door glass. The transparent display area isconfigured to display, based on the transparent display area beingtouched by a user, a plurality of selectable menus that includes arecipe menu, and to display, based on the recipe menu being selected,information on a corresponding recipe and information on a retained foodthat is currently stored in the refrigerator. The transparent displayarea is also configured to display the information on the retained foodon a location on the door glass that corresponds to a storage section inwhich the retained food is stored.

Implementations according to this aspect may include one or more of thefollowing features. For example, the door glass may be configured to beswitchable between a transparent state and an opaque state. Thetransparent display area may be divided into a plurality of transparentdisplay areas on the door glass, and the plurality of transparentdisplay areas may be arranged on locations on the door glass thatcorrespond to the plurality of storage sections. Each of the pluralityof transparent display areas may be associated with correspondingcoordinates on the door glass, and the plurality of transparent displayareas may be configured to display a touch point of the user along withcorresponding a food information image. The information on the storedfood may include at least one of a name, an expiration date, an amount,or a price of the stored food. The plurality of transparent displayareas may be configured to display an input screen for inputting foodinformation on the transparent display area corresponding to the storagesection in which the food is stored.

According to still yet another aspect, a method for controlling arefrigerator having a door glass provided with at least one transparentdisplay and a storage compartment divided into a plurality of storagesections for storing food, wherein the door glass is configured toselectively open or close the storage compartment, and wherein the doorglass allows the food stored in the storage compartment to be visuallychecked based on the door glass being in the closed position, includesdetecting a touch on a front surface of the door glass, and displaying,on the transparent display, a plurality of selectable menus thatincludes a recipe menu. Based on the recipe menu being selected, a foodinformation image for a retained food material that is currently storedin the refrigerator among food materials required for a selected recipeis displayed on the transparent display. The food information image isdisplayed on a location corresponding to a storage section in which theretained food material is stored.

Implementations according to this aspect may include one or more of thefollowing features. For example, displaying on the transparent displaymay include displaying on the transparent display that is divided into aplurality of transparent display areas on the door glass, the pluralityof transparent display areas being arranged on locations on the doorglass that correspond to the plurality of storage sections, theplurality of transparent display areas being configured to beindividually operated. The method may further include maintaining thedoor glass in the opaque state before the touch on the door glass isdetected, and based on the food information image for the retained foodmaterial being displayed, switching the transparent display areacorresponding to the storage section in which the retained food materialis stored into the transparent state. The method may further includeswitching the door glass into the opaque state before the touch on thedoor glass is detected, and switching, based on the touch beingdetected, the entirety of the door glass into the transparent state. Themethod may further include displaying the plurality of selectable menusin the form of a touch icon. The method may further include, based onthe recipe menu being selected, displaying on the transparent displayarea recipe items stored in a memory of a control unit in the form of atouch icon such that one recipe may be selected by the user among therecipe items. The method may further include, based on the one recipebeing touched and selected by the user, displaying information on a foodmaterial required for the selected recipe, and based on a retained foodmaterial viewing option being selected, displaying the food informationimage for the retained food material. The method may further includedisplaying a material shopping selection menu together with the foodinformation image for the retained food material, and based on thematerial shopping selection menu being touched by the user, accessingthe Internet and displaying an Internet shopping mall screen on thedisplay area. The method may further include, based on a materialshopping process being completed, switching the door glass into theopaque state automatically or in response to input of an instructionfrom the user.

The details of one or more implementations are set forth in theaccompanying drawings and the description below. Other features will beapparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed incolor. Copies of this patent or application publication with colordrawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and payment ofthe necessary fee.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example refrigerator accordingto one implementation.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the refrigerator showing example stateinformation on food stored therein.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are diagrams illustrating examples of a food informationdisplay image displayed on a door glass of the refrigerator according toone implementation.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example method for controlling therefrigerator to input and check food information according to oneimplementation.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example method for controlling therefrigerator to input or check the food information through atransparency-adjustable door glass.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example food information inputscreen.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example method for controlling therefrigerator to check retained food materials for a recipe according toone implementation.

FIGS. 9 to 12 are front views illustrating example screens displayed ona display area when the method described above with reference to FIG. 8is performed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, implementations of a refrigerator according to the presentdisclosure will be described in detail with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a refrigerator 10 according to oneimplementation includes a cabinet 11 having a storage compartment formedtherein and a door 12 connected to a front surface of the cabinet 11 toselectively open or close the storage compartment.

In more detail, the storage compartment may include one or both of afreezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment, and the door 12may include a transparency-adjustable door glass 122 and a door frame121 covering an outer rim of the door glass 122. The transparency of thedoor glass 122 may be adjusted between, for example, a complete opaquestate and a complete transparent state so that food stored in thestorage compartment may be visually checked even when the door 12 isclosed. Further, information on food of interest may be displayed on thedoor glass 122. The door glass 122 may be made from glass or aglass-like material. In some cases, the door glass 122 may includeregions that are fixed to be transparent and/or fixed to be opaque.

The door glass 122 may be provided with a transparent display panel fordisplaying texts, images, or videos. Furthermore, a plurality of displayareas A may be arranged on a front surface of the door glass 122. Indetail, each display area A may correspond to the area of a frontsurface part of a storage area divided by a shelf in the storagecompartment. In other words, a vertical height of any one of the displayareas A may correspond to a distance between shelves that are verticallyadjacent to each other in the storage compartment, and a horizontalwidth of the one of the display areas A may correspond a width of thedoor glass 122 excluding the door frame 121. However, without beinglimited to this manner of division, the one of the display areas A maybe further divided into a plurality of smaller display areas. In somecases, the display areas A may be enlarged to correspond to multiplestorage sections.

In some cases, the display area A may be managed by a coordinate system.That is, four vertices of the display area A may be defined in terms ofX and Y coordinates, and, when any point within the display area A istouched by a user, coordinates of the touched point may be recognized bya control unit. Furthermore, the control unit may render the entirety ofthe display area A including the touched point transparent, or may allowa display screen to be displayed on the display area A.

As described above, the display area may be formed on the door glass 122for each storage section in the storage compartment, and each displayarea may be individually controlled. Therefore, information on foodstored in a specific section of the storage compartment may be displayedon the display area positioned at the front of the specific section. Asa result, a user may recognize various information on food stored in therefrigerator while viewing the food, without having to move his/her eyestoo much vertically or horizontally.

When the user touches a certain point on the door glass 122 with afinger as illustrated in FIG. 1, a food information display image 20 forpresenting information on food stored in a storage space correspondingto a touch point may be displayed on the display area A corresponding tothe touch point as illustrated in FIG. 2.

For example, if the user checks a section of the storage compartment inwhich a fruit is stored through the door glass 122 that is transparent,and then touches a part of the door glass 122 corresponding to an areain which the fruit is stored, information on the fruit is displayed onthe display area A. The information on the fruit may include the numberof days left until an expiration date, as one example.

In the case where food items having different types or stored atdifferent time points are stored in a specific section, if the displayarea A corresponding to the specific section is touched, the foodinformation display images 20 for all of the food items stored in thespecific section may be simultaneously displayed.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the food information display image may bedisplayed so as to notify a name of a specific food and the number ofdays left until an expiration date of the food. Referring also to FIG.4, the food information display image may be displayed so as to notifythe name of the specific food and the number of days that have elapsedfrom a storage date of the food. Furthermore, in the case of a food thathas passed an expiration date, the food information display image may bedisplayed so as to notify the number of days that have elapsed from theexpiration date.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example method for controlling the refrigerator toinput and check food information.

Referring to FIG. 5, the user touches the display area A on the doorglass 122 to check food information or input storage information on astored food. Here, it is assumed that the door glass 122 is in atransparent state and the display area A is in an activated state. Inthe activated state of the display area A, a touch motion of the usermay be recognized and the food information may be displayed.

The control unit of the refrigerator 10 can determine whether the touchof the user is for inputting the food information or for checking thefood information according to the type of the touch (S12, S13). It ispreferable that a touch for inputting the food information be differentfrom a touch for checking the food information.

For example, if the user touches a certain area of a front surface partof the door glass 122 for at least two seconds, i.e., touches on thecertain area of the front surface part of the door glass 122, thecontrol unit may recognize the touch as an instruction for inputting thefood information. If the user performs a touch on and a touch off withinone second, the control unit may recognize the touch as an instructionfor checking the food information. There may be other various methodsfor differently setting a touch for inputting the food information and atouch for checking the food information so as to differentiatetherebetween.

In some cases, if it is determined that an instruction for checking thefood information is input since the user touches a front surface of thedoor glass 122 for less than one second, a storage space of therefrigerator corresponding to the display area A including a pointtouched by the user, i.e., the storage compartment, is matched (S14).Here, the matching of the storage space may be construed as performing,by the control unit, an algorithm for detecting a storage spacecorresponding to a touch area. A memory of the control unit may store,in the form of a look-up table, storage sections respectivelycorresponding to the plurality of display areas A on the door glass 122.That is, a plurality of display areas respectively corresponding tostorage sections of the refrigerating compartment and storage sectionsof the freezing compartment are defined on each of the door glass 122 ofthe refrigerating compartment and the door glass 122 of the freezingcompartment, and the display areas are programmed to be operatedindividually.

Therefore, the user can first check, visually through the door glass122, what section of what storage compartment stores a food of interest.Then, the user can touch the display area of the door glass 122 locateddirectly at the front of a storage section in which the food of interestis stored.

Here, each display area A has a size substantially similar to that of afront part of the storage section. Therefore, the user may touch any onepoint considered to correspond to an inner area of the storage sectionin which the food of interest is stored.

If coordinates of the touch point fall within coordinates that definethe size of the display area A, an information image for the food ofinterest is displayed on the display area A corresponding to the storagesection in which the food of interest is stored (S15). Furthermore, itis determined whether the front surface of the door glass 122 is touchedagain by the user (S16), or it is determined whether a set time expiresafter food information image is displayed (S17).

If it is determined that a certain point within the display area A istouched by the user after the food information is displayed on thedisplay area A, or if it is determined that the set time expires afterthe food information is displayed on the display area A, the foodinformation image 20 is displayed-off.

If the user touches on the door glass 122 for a set time or longer andthe control unit recognizes the touch as an instruction for inputtingthe food information, a display screen for inputting the foodinformation is displayed on the display area A. Here, in order to inputinformation on a stored food, the user may touch the display area Alocated at the front of a storage section in which the food is stored.

In some cases, when the control unit receives the instruction forinputting the food information, the screen for inputting the foodinformation is displayed on a selected display area A, i.e., the displayarea A including the touch point (S19). The screen for inputting thefood information will be described in detail with reference to thedrawings.

When the screen for inputting the food information is displayed, theuser inputs the information on the stored food through the screen (S20).Here, the information on the stored food may include at least one of aname, expiration date, price, weight, and number/quantity of the storedfood. Furthermore, in addition to the foregoing pieces of information,other various types of information may be input.

When the input of the food information is completed, the user can toucha storage completion button to complete a storage process (S21). Here,the storage completion button may be provided to one side of the foodinformation input screen or the display area A in the form of an icon,so that a completion instruction is input when the user touches thebutton.

When the input of the food information is completed, the screen forinputting the food information is displayed-off (S22) so that theprocess of inputting the food information is completed.

As described above, the door glass 122 may be a transparency-adjustableglass. For example, the door glass 122 may be a smart glass foradjusting the transparency by controlling an intensity of current thatflows thereto, more specifically, a smart glass made of anelectrochromic material. Therefore, the door glass 122 may switch froman opaque state to a semi-transparent state or a completely transparentstate.

When the door glass 122 is maintained in the completely transparentstate, not only the user but also other persons may recognize all thefoods stored in the refrigerator. In this state, it may be the case thatthe foods should not be allowed to be seen from the outside, forexample, because the user has visitors. Furthermore, when the door glass122 is maintained in the completely transparent state, radiant heat dueto sun or other external light may increase a temperature in therefrigerator. Therefore, it may be necessary to allow the user toselectively render the door glass 122 transparent.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example method for controlling the refrigerator toinput or check the food information through a transparency-adjustabledoor glass.

Referring to the implementation illustrated in FIG. 6, it is assumedthat the door 12 is closed and the door glass 122 is maintained in theopaque state (S40). In other words, it is assumed that the door glass122 is maintained in the opaque state while an event does not occur onthe door glass 122.

In more detail, when the door glass 122 is opaque, an operation ofswitching the door glass 122 into the transparent state may first beperformed. To this end, the control unit can determine whether the frontsurface of the door glass 122 is touched by the user (S41).

In some cases, in the case where the control unit detects that the door12 is closed after being opened, the door glass 122 may be switched intothe transparent state even though the door glass 122 is not touched bythe user (S47). That is, since the door should be opened and closed tostore a new food, the control unit may switch the entirety of the doorglass 122 into the transparent state when detecting the opening andclosing of the door so that the food information is input (S48).

Furthermore, since the control unit may be unable to recognize a storagesection in which a food has been stored by the user, the entirety of thedoor glass 122 may be switched into the transparent state. In this case,after closing the door 12, the user may be allowed to input informationon the food stored in the storage section by touching the display area Acorresponding to the storage section while viewing the storage sectionthrough the transparent door glass.

When the control unit recognizes that a specific area of the door glass122 is touched on, the door glass 122 may be switched into thetransparent state. Here, according to a touch type, a part or theentirety of the door glass 122 may be switched into the transparentstate. For examples, according to the number of times of touching thedoor glass 122, an area to be switched into the transparent state or asize of an area to be switched into the transparent state may bedifferently determined.

In detail, if the user touches the specific area of the door glass 122one time, only the display area A including the touched point may beswitched into the transparent state, and, if the user consecutivelytouches the specific area of the door glass 122 two times, the entiretyof the door glass 122 may be switched into the transparent state (S42).Here, the motion of consecutively touching the door glass 122 two timesmay include a motion of consecutively pushing or knocking the door glass122 two times.

When a specific display area of the door glass 122 or the entirety ofthe door glass 122 is switched into the transparent state, the user cantouch the specific display area A again to input or check information ona food of interest while viewing the food (S43).

Thereafter, the food information may be input or checked according tothe control method as described above with reference to FIG. 5 (S44).

When the input or checking of the food information is completed (S45),the door glass 122 may be switched into the opaque state. The door glass122 may be switched into the opaque state immediately after the foodinformation input screen is displayed-off (S22) or the food informationimage is displayed-off (S18) as described above with reference to FIG.5.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example food information input screen.

Referring to FIG. 7, when the door glass 122 is touched to input thefood information, a food information input screen 100 may be presentedin the form of a transparent display.

In more detail, a food name input window 101, a storage time displaywindow 102, an expiration date input window 103, and a keyboard window104 may be arranged on the food information input screen 100.Furthermore, windows for inputting various information such as thenumber, weight, and price of food may be provided. Accordingly, the usermay input a food name through a keyboard displayed on the keyboardwindow 104. Furthermore, the user may set an expiration date, and maytouch one of an elapsed days display icon or a remaining days displayicon to select an expiration date display method.

The storage time display window 102 may be programmed so that the userinputs a date and time or the time controlled by the control unit anddisplayed on the door glass 122 is automatically input and stored.

When the input of information is completed, an input completion window105 may be touched so that the food information input screen 100 isdisplayed-off. Furthermore, the door glass 122 may be switched into theopaque state at the same time as when the food information input screen100 is displayed-off or after a set time expires.

As described above, according to the refrigerator according to oneimplementation, the user may immediately check information on a storedfood while viewing the stored food through a transparency-adjustabledoor glass on which a transparent display is presented. Furthermore,since it is not necessary to open the door to check the foodinformation, the power consumption of the refrigerator may be reduced.

Described below is a method for controlling the refrigerator thatincludes the transparent door glass to allow the user to checkinformation on a food required for a specific recipe and purchaserequired foods through online shopping.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example method for controlling the refrigerator tocheck retained food materials for a recipe according to animplementation.

Referring to FIG. 8, it may initially be assumed that the door 12 isclosed and the door glass 122 is maintained in the opaque state (S51).In this state, if the user touches the door glass 122 (S52), selectablemenus are displayed-on while the door glass 122 is in the opaque state(S53). Alternatively, the menus may be displayed-on after the door glass122 is switched into the transparent state.

In further detail, the selectable menus may be provided as touchableicons, and the user may touch and select a recipe menu among theselectable menus (S54). When the recipe menu is selected, a recipe liststored in the memory of the control unit is displayed-on (S55). In thisstate, the user may touch and select a desired recipe item (S56), andinformation on a selected recipe is displayed-on (S57).

In detail, the information on the recipe may be output to the frontsurface of the door glass 122 in the form of a text, an image, or avideo. Furthermore, the information on the recipe may include a methodof cooking using the recipe and required food material information. Anitem for selecting an option for viewing a retained material isdisplayed on one side of a display area in the form of an icon, and theuser may touch a retained material viewing icon to select the option forviewing a retained material (S58).

When the option for viewing a retained material is selected, foodsrequired for the recipe, among the foods stored in the refrigerator, areretrieved. Furthermore, the display area of the door glass 122 whichcorresponds to a storage section in which a currently-stored retainedmaterial is located is switched into the transparent state, and, at thesame time, an information image for the retained material food isdisplayed-on (S59). In the case where the door glass 122 is in thetransparent state, the information image for the retained material foodmay be displayed on a point of the door glass 122 which corresponds tothe location where the food is stored.

When the information on the currently retained food is displayed on thedisplay area of the door glass 122, the user may check what food isrequired to be purchased. Furthermore, a material shopping selectionmenu may be displayed on the display area together with the retainedfood information so that the user may immediately purchase a requiredfood through online shopping (S60).

If it is determined that the user selects an option for shopping for amaterial by touching a material shopping menu displayed on a screen(S61), the control unit may immediately establish a connection to theInternet, via a wired or a wireless connection, and a shopping mallscreen may be displayed-on (S62). Here, a homepage of a specificshopping mall may be displayed immediately after the connection to theInternet is established, or in some cases, a list of homepages ofaccessible shopping malls may be listed.

In further detail, when shopping is completed after logging on to anInternet shopping mall (S63), the door glass 122 may be automaticallyswitched into the opaque state (S64). However, in some cases, the doorglass 122 may be maintained in the transparent state and then may beswitched into the opaque state if the user makes a touch or a set timeexpires. Furthermore, the user may touch a shopping completion icondisplayed on the display area so that a shopping completion signal isinput to the control unit.

FIGS. 9 to 12 illustrate example screens displayed on the display areawhen the method described above with reference to FIG. 8 is performed.

Referring to FIG. 9, when the user touches the door glass 122 while thedoor glass 122 is in the opaque state, selectable menus may be displayedon the door glass 122.

In detail, a storage compartment temperature display part 123 may bedisposed on one side of the door glass 122, more specifically, an uppercorner of the door glass 122 to display a current temperature of thestorage compartment. Storage compartment temperature informationdisplayed on the temperature display part 123 may not be shown when ascreen is switched, or may be maintained in a display-on state.Furthermore, a menu display part 124 may be disposed on another side ofthe door glass 122, and a plurality of recipe selection images 124 a maybe displayed on the menu display part 124 in the form of a touch icon.The menu display part 124 may be switched into a transparent state or asemi-transparent state to improve the visibility of the recipe selectionimages 124 a. In this state, the user may touch a recipe selection iconso that a screen of a next step may be displayed.

Referring to FIG. 10, when the user touches a recipe selection imageamong the selection images 124 a displayed on the menu display part 124,a plurality of recipes stored in the memory of the control unit may bedisplayed on the front surface of the door glass 122 in the form of atouch icon. The size or location of the display area on which therecipes are displayed is not particularly limited. That is, recipe listsmay be displayed over the door glass 122 as illustrated in FIG. 10, ormay be displayed on a specific area. Each recipe selection menu may bedisplayed in the form of an image or a video showing a recipe name and adish or a result obtained from a recipe.

In this state, the user may search for and touch a desired recipe, andinformation on the recipe may be displayed.

Referring to FIG. 11, when the user touches and selects a desiredrecipe, information on the recipe is displayed in the form of a text, animage or a video. Furthermore, a retained material viewing selectionimage 124 b may be displayed on one side of the door glass 122 in theform of a touch icon.

In detail, information such as a taste, a nutritional effect, requiredfood materials, and/or a level of cooking difficulty of the recipe maybe displayed on one side of the display area of the 122 in the form of atext, an image, or a video.

Referring to FIG. 12, when the user selects the retained materialviewing selection image 124 b, information on a food material stored inthe refrigerator, among food materials required for a selected recipe,is displayed on the door glass 122.

In detail, the information on the food material may be displayed, in theform of a food information display image, on the display area of thedoor glass 122 which corresponds to the location of a storage section inwhich a corresponding food is stored as described above with referenceto FIG. 2. The displayed food information may include a name of the foodmaterial. Furthermore, an expiration date and a remaining amount of thefood material may be displayed together with the name of the foodmaterial.

In this state, a food material shopping selection menu may be displayedon one side of the front surface of the door glass 122 so as to help theuser immediately access an Internet shopping mall or the like.

Although implementations have been described with reference to a numberof illustrative implementations thereof, it should be understood thatnumerous other modifications and implementations can be devised by thoseskilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of theprinciples of this disclosure. More particularly, various variations andmodifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements ofthe subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure,the drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations andmodifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternativeuses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:
 1. A refrigerator comprising: a main body defining astorage compartment, the storage compartment being divided into aplurality of storage sections; and a door coupled to the main body toselectively open or close the storage compartment, the door comprising:a door glass configured to be switched between a transparent state andan opaque state, and a door frame surrounding one or more edges of thedoor glass and configured to protect the door glass, wherein the doorglass is further configured to: be switched from the opaque state to thetransparent state in response to a first touch input, and based onhaving been switched to the transparent state in response to the firsttouch input, display, in response to a second touch input on an area ofthe door glass by a user, information on food stored in one or more ofthe plurality of storage sections that correspond to the area of thedoor glass touched for the second touch input by the user.
 2. Therefrigerator according to claim 1, wherein an entire area of the doorglass is configured to be switched to the transparent state in responseto the first touch input.
 3. The refrigerator according to claim 1,wherein the door glass comprises a plurality of transparent displayareas, and wherein the plurality of transparent display areas arearranged on locations on the door glass that correspond to the pluralityof storage sections.
 4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, whereineach of the plurality of transparent display areas is associated withcorresponding coordinates on the door glass, and the plurality oftransparent display areas are configured to display a touch point of theuser along with a corresponding food information image.
 5. Therefrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the information on the storedfood comprises at least one of a name, an expiration date, an amount, ora price of the stored food.
 6. The refrigerator according to claim 3,wherein the plurality of transparent display areas are configured todisplay an input screen for inputting food information corresponding toa storage section among the plurality of storage sections in which thefood is stored.
 7. The refrigerator according to claim 1, furthercomprising a control unit configured to control operation of the doorglass, wherein the control unit is configured to recognize the firsttouch input based on the user touching the door glass for a period oftime that is greater than or equal to a predetermined duration in astate in which the door glass is in the opaque state.
 8. Therefrigerator according to claim 7, wherein the control unit is furtherconfigured to recognize the second touch input based on the usertouching the area of the door glass within a predetermined time afterrecognition of the first touch input.
 9. The refrigerator according toclaim 1, wherein the door glass is configured to switch from thetransparent state to the opaque state based on lack of a touch input fora predetermined set time after having been switched to the transparentstate in response to the first touch input.
 10. The refrigeratoraccording to claim 1, wherein the door glass is configured to, based onreception of the second touch input within a predetermined time afterhaving been switched to the transparent state in response to the firsttouch input, display the information on food stored in one or more ofthe plurality of storage sections.
 11. The refrigerator according toclaim 1, wherein the door glass is configured to, based on having beenswitched to the transparent state in response to the first touch input,allow the plurality of storage sections and food stored in the pluralityof storage sections to be viewed through the door glass.
 12. Therefrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the information on fooddisplayed on the door glass comprises one or more images that indicateat least one of a name of the food, a number of days remaining until anexpiration date of the food, an elapse of time since the food was storedin the plurality of storage sections, or an elapse of time past theexpiration date of the food.
 13. The refrigerator according to claim 1,wherein the door glass is configured to, in response to the second touchinput on the area of the door glass, display simultaneously theinformation regarding a plurality of food items that were stored in theplurality of storage sections at one or more time points.
 14. Therefrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the door glass is configuredto, in response to the second touch input on the area of the door glass,display simultaneously the information regarding a plurality of fooditems that correspond to different food types.